Do the dogs at Crufts actually enjoy it?

[Sonolanona]

Pondering this today after watching Crufts (and went to Discover Dogs yesterday) and wondered if anyone here shows dogs and can tell me.

My dog lives for long walks in the woods, nose down a rabbit hole, dashing through long grass.. being a dog. No kill instinct thankfully but chasing leaves, crying with longing at squirrels teasing her...living her best doggy life! She would hate being prodded and held and trotted round.

The Best in Show winner was saying how her dog loved the ring. To me it looks unconfortable... I dislike the thin slip leads they use to move the dogs around because they don't look kind, but I appreciate that's my perception.

Do they live 'normal' dog lives when they aren't at competitions?

Some dogs love the fuss that comes from showing.
There's a lot of training that goes into it, you'd know very quickly if your dog hated the ring.
Crufts is quite multiple day show and some dogs will need to be away from home (not in crufts showground) for 5-6 days. That takes it out on both dog and handler.

I was feeling for the poor dogs who've been flown over from countries such as Australia and Japan. All those hours stuck on a plane (crated in the hold I presume) for a dog show. I know it's prestigious and all that but nah. Plus some of the dogs seemed downright tetchy - the St Bernard was pretty pissed off.

I can only answer about my own dogs which we work and show, but their main function in life is as family dogs - they spend their lives walking, digging holes, rolling in anything smelly and sofa surfing.

Once again only my dogs, I could not make them show if they did not want to do it.

I use a leather slip lead when I show, yes it is narrower than a normal slip lead, but very soft and the dogs are moved on a loose lead.

Viking the Australian Shepherd certainly is a showman, it goes back to what I said previously, you cannot make dogs show unless they want to.

I am curled up on the sofa next to a 13 year old, who when younger has won a lot in the ring at the highest level, but he also had a habit of standing and moving every now and again, like a sack of potato - that was his way of saying "not today". They are not robots.

Like any hobby or sport, there are always some who treat their dogs in a different way than I do.

I don't suppose anyone is going to come on here to tell us that they do these so shows and that the dogs hate it.

schloss Thank you for answering that's what I wanted to hear ...I hope others are the same. Yes Viking didn't look remotely bothered I agree. I guess (and hope) that it comes down the the temperament of the dog. I was helping out on my dog's breed stand at Discover dogs, but didn't take my dog as I'm nopt sure she would cope with the sheer amount of people... she's a bit of a diva/asshole at times!

My dogs would hate it. It’s the equivalent of beauty pageants for toddlers to my mind.

I have had dogs who do hate showing, never took to it so they were not shown. It is easy to spot a dog which is enjoying being in the ring and one which is bored.

It is up to the owners to know when a dog really doesn't want to play ball so to speak in the ring. As I said earlier, there are some people who cannot, or choose not to read the signs that their dogs are not happy.

I concur

Imgaine the roles were reversed, ie human is the dog, dog is human.

Would the human like being made to do tricks and a pat on the head along with finger pointing and go through loops?

You have your answer.

I did Discover Dogs this year - it is hard work for the owners and especially the dogs, sometime it is 4 or 5 people deep with the public wanting to talk to the dogs. Not all dogs can deal with it. The ones I took thankfully were very happy, one having done it plenty of times before, the other it was his first time, he is a very friendly extrovert - so he throughly enjoyed himself entertaining everyone.

Dunno. Why don't you ask them?

That's a bit like asking if race horses love to race. No dog would perform well if it wasn't engaged and in tune with their owner, and enjoying the fuss.

And as for race horses, having ridden a few myself, I know they only have to catch sight of the bottom of a gallop and a white rail to be dancing with excitement and pulling my arms off in their desire to race.

Not sure about the flights though. Do animals get jet lag?

I have two former show dogs, they both had completely normal lives outside the ring. I found speaking to their breeder about showing very interesting.
It's a very long process and some either don't enjoy it or grow some looks that don't work, like the wrong amount of teeth.
I think it would depend on the breed too. Mine are working dogs and they enjoyed the training and learning ringcraft.

Yes they got looooads of dog treats

That little Jack Russell who came second was clearly having an absolute blast- with his little tail going 19 to the dozen all the time he was in the ring!

Dogs are all so different so I guess those that do really well at shows - are the ones that do really enjoy it - and other dogs would hate it - and some dogs are just more trainable than others are!

I'd venture the dogs taking part in the agility things and obstacle courses and games with tennis balls are enjoying themselves more than the pampered perfumed statues.